Apparatus for impregnating and seasoning wood.



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No. 695-,|52. v Pa'anted Manu H. HIGGINS. APPARATUS FOB IWIPREGNATING AND SEASONING WOD.A

(Application filed Nov. 13, 1901.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets No. 695,152.l Patented ma. n, |902.

H. HIGGINS. l

APPARATUS FOR IWPBEGNATINGAND SEASUNING WOOD.

Y (Application led Nov. 13, 1901.) (No Model.)

&4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Wiar. Il, |902.

H. HIGGINS. APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING AND SEASONING WOOD.

(Applibation med Nov. 13` 1901.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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No. 695,!52. Patented Wlar. Il, |902. H. HIGGINS. APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNTING AND SEASNING WDGD.

(Application filed Nov. 13, 1901.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

' UNITED STATES trice.

HBERTIGGINS, or OAMBIDGE, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR IIVIPREGNATINGAND SEASONING WOOD.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,152, dated'Ma'r-ch 1 1, 1902.

Application tiled November 13.1901. Serial No. 82,141. (No model.) I

This invention relates to improvclnents'in apparatus for treating organic or inorganic substances with superheated steam and impregnatin g them with a preservative or other solution, the primary object of the invention being to provide economical and efficient apparatus for seasoning or seasoning and impregnating Wood on a large scale.

In carrying out the invention I provide a chamber divided into compartments, prefer ably three in number, separated from each other by sliding doors adapted to be opened and shut from outside the chamber. Beneath one end of the chamber I'provide a furnace, from which the products of combustion are caused to circulate around the chamber, the whole or greater part of its walls being made double With a space between them which acts as the iue for the furnace, battle-partitions or thevlike being provided to circulate the gasesas desired around the chamber before their escape by the chimney. I may provide extra furnaces under the other sections of the chamber for, first, regulating the temperature ot' the same;- second, preventing undue condensation. The furnace is provided with a steam-superheater, preferably comprising a cast-iron box forming par-t` of the front or side of the furnace. It may be provided with a removable cover and is connected with any convenient supply of steam.. The inner wall of the box forms a tube-plate, into which are fixed (preferably by means of back-nuts) a series of steam-pipes, which are carried through Vthe upper part of the furnace below the chamber-floor and thence pass directly into that end compartment of the chamber beneath which the furnace is placed or into a collecting box or tube arranged over the furnacebridge, one or more main delivery-pi pes being carried from this box into the compartment,

these mains being vfitted with distributingpipesasdesired. Thedistributing-pipesmay be perforated or preferably have open ends, which are placed adjacent and op posed to the walls of the chamber, so'as to dilfuse the steam escaping therefrom equally throughout the same. Means may be provided to protect the supe'rheated pipes at will frolp the direct actionof the tire-say a plate sliding in guides, so as to be placed when desired under the steam-pi pes. The other compartments of the chamber may be provided with a similar system'of distributing-pipes; but these start for each compartment from a pipe passing through the side walls of the chamber and ending outside, with one-half of a coupling placed within or adjacent to a manhole formed in the side'of the adjacent compartment for a purpose hereinafter described. The floor of the chamber is provided with rails, so that trucks or tanks 'can be drawn from one compartment to another.

The material to be treated is stacked in tanks carried on wheels and open at the top, so that the steam can circulate throughout the mass. Leading from the bottom of each tank are one or more pipes ending iu a com-V mon tiexible pipe, on the free end of which is a half-coupling corresponding to the halfcouplings already above described. The

tanks are. so proportioned that when Withini a compartment of the chamber this flexible y pipe can be readily reached b y a hook or the like and manipulated from the outside ofthe chamber, so as to be pulled through the compartment-manhole and coupled ontothe disj tributing main of the -next compartment. The tanks may be provided with a perforated false bottom, the pipes leading from the space thus formed so as toequalize the distribution of the current of steam passing thrmigh the material and escaping by the pipes. tanks are 4provided with couplings which can be coupled and uncoupled by means of a pole or the like operating through the manholesay a pivoted hook on one end of a tank nor'- mally held by springs in a vertical tpositiou, but which ou being released engages an eye on'the end of an adjacent tank. When ,in

continuous'work, a tank is located iu each compartment, the tank in the end compartment, under which the furnace is placed, has

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its flexible pipe connected with the adjacent compartment, the tank in the latter compartment with the next compartment, and so on, the steam froln the tank in the last compartment escaping into the chimney or otherwise.

Steam is admitted into the superheater and 'passes thence into the compartment over the furnace,lwhich is the last compartment in the process of treatment; the material being subjected in this compartment to the highest temperature. The superheated steam circulates downward through the material in the the atmosphere, or they may be utilized for' other heating or drying purposes. After the material has been treated for a sufficient length of time the supply of steam is cut off.'

The tank in the last or hottest compartmentis now filled with the impregnating solution, a pipe with requisite connections leading into the chamber being provided for this purpose. The flexible pipes are now uncoupled, the

doors between the compartments raised, and

the tanks coupled together. The doors leading into the end chambers are opened and a tank with fresh material to be treated coupled onto the tank in the compartment lowest in temperature andan engine or some form of traetive power attached to the tank g which has beenv treated with thesolution, or

. section of the ing and closlng the doors and for bringing the power which has been used to bring the tank of fresh material up to the chamber may be employed to push the tanks forward. The train ot' tanks is drawn forward till the impregnated tank is free of the chamber and the tank of new material within th-e chatnber, when the tanks are uncoupled, the doors closed, and the process repeat-ed.

The temperature of the various compartments will vary according to the kind of material treated and especially the size in crossindividual pieces of that material.

Means may be provided for passing only a portion ofthe snperheated steam from vone chamber into the next and for regulating the action of the llues, so as to control the temperature of the compartments.

Convenient means are provided for openthe tanks up to and removing them from the vicinity ofv the chamber. Pyrometers and other fittings are provided and means for withdrawing the residue of the impregnating solution from the tanks on the completion of the process.

The chamber may be employed for drying purposes or for seasoning wood without impregnating it.

An endless chain might be arranged forgiving travel to the tanks, in which case `end couplings would not be required.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a central longitudinal vertical section showing a convenient form of apparatus -forcarrying out my invention. t-al section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l; and Fig. 4 Vis a vertical longitudinal sec- Fig. 2 is a-horizontion of an end compartment, showing the ar gases pass successively around eachcornpartment, finally escaping from the flue-say at A'-int'o a shaft. (Not shown.) f

The superheater comprises a number of pipes or tubes C', arranged at va convenient height above the furnace-grate B', so that the combustion-(rases, ass around them on their way to the flue A8. The tubes C are fixed at one end into a cast-iron box C, placed in one of the side walls of the furnace, their other ends being connected to a large tube or box C2, built in t-he inner wall of the chamber over the furnace-bridge'. Conveniently the tubes are secured in the boxes C C2" by means of back-nuts,allowing of their ready removal for repair. From the box C2 run one or more distributing-mains C3, from which distributingpipes C4 are arranged ove'r the sides of the compartments A3, these latter pipes having open ends C5 directed against vthe Walls of the chamber to diffuse the escaping steam. The steam is supplied to the box Cthrough a pipe C6 and may be derived from any convenient source. Waste or exhaust steanrma'ybeemployed, if such be available. Beneath the tubes C is a sliding plate B2, capable of being controlled by the stoker from the outside of IOO IIO

the furnace, so as to cut off a part or all of the tubes from the direct action of the furnace. A side connection between the furnace and the flue A8, normally closed by a damper B3, may be ,provided to divert, if desired, a

in guidewaysprovided in or onthe side walls top wall. A convenient arrangement for readily raising and lowering them is illustrated 1n Figs. 3 and 4, the doors being hung on chains or ritmes D, arranged to-wind around Y pulleys D', carried. on 4a revoluble shaft D2. This shaft may be revolved by hand by means of Athe sprocket-wheels D3 D4 and chain D5. The doors are counterbalanced by weights D6. The floor of the chamber is provided with of the chamber and through slotsleft in th'e l on which stand wheeled trucks E, open at the `topand of asize to approximately till one compartment. Each truck ,is formed with a perforated 'false' bottom E', forming a space E2, which is continued up one fend of thej 4tructnpreferably in a triangular shape, as

shown in Fig. 3, and ends in a exible pipe v E3,.on the free end of which is avhalf-rcoug ling. pThe space E2'is gradually:diminished in width, as shown, so as to equalize the flow of the steam through the timber or other material stacked in the truck, lfor which purpose the perforations'in the false bottom may `also advantageously be made smaller toward the exit end ofthe space'E2. The timber F4 or other material is stacked, as shown in the figutes, With passages between the pieces, so as to allow o'f a free passage for the steam. At the side of each compartment is an opening E through the double Wall, provided with a door F. when the trucks are in position within the compartments the flexible pipes E3 can 'be easily reachedfrein the outside and drawn cutsay by a hook or the like-so that the half-coupling on their ends can be coupled to corresponding parts of couplings fixed on the end of a pipe F?, Eig. 2, Which formsa com munication between the opening and the adjacent compartment. This pipe may be controlled by a valve or cock E3. 'The pipe E2 in .the compartmentA opens into the atmoss pliers, forming the escape-pipe into the atmosphere for the used-su perheated steam and the moisture or other gases driven od from the material. The trucks are provided with couplings G Gr', which may be of any convenient construction so arranged that they can be uncoupled and coupled from the outside by means of a coupling-pole passed through the openings `li'. Each truck is provided with an escape-valve or stop-cock E.4 to remove the liquid at the end of the operation when an impregnating process-is being carried out. The compartment A3 Vis furnished with an inlet-pipe H through its roof, placed l centrally over the truck in position in that compartment, this pipe being connected With the supply of impregnating liuid placed in any convenient position. it is conveniently provided with a valve H.

The operation` of the apparatus is as follows: The timbery E* er ether `material .is stacked in the tanks so vas te allow the steam to pass freely around ift-'say as shown in` Figs. land 2.

A truck is placed in each com partment and the doors closed, and the pipe E3 ot the tank in each compartment A3 A2 A' is coupled to its respective pipe E2, communicating with the following compartment or with the atmosphere. Steam (which may be Waste steam) is admitted into the box C and passes into the chamber A3 through the super heating-pipes O', tube C2, and pipes C3, being superheated on its Way through the furnace B, the combustiongases of the latter being These openings are so placed that Y 'The-amount of superheating given to the steam may be regulated by means of the slid'- ing plate B2 cutting ott at will a portion. or all of the superheating-pipes from the direct action of the furnace. A partor the whole of the furnace-gases maybe diverted directly into the tine As by means of the damper B3. The steam ditused throughout the compartlment A3 from the pipes CJl passes down through the material in the tank and through the perforations in the false bottom into the 'space E2 and. through the pipes E3 F2 into the compartment A2. From this compartment the gases pass in a similar manner to the compartment A and thence escape into the atmosphere. `When the material in the compartment A3 has been suihciently treated, the supply of steam is shut oit, and if it be desired to impregnatevthe material'the valve H is opened and the tank filled with the impregnating duid. The doors are then opened, the pipes E3 uucoupled, the couplings G' coupled, and the tanks pulled forward the distance of one compartment. The tank from the compartment A3 is then removed, a fresh tank placed in the compartment A', the doors closed, and the operation repeated.

What l claim as my invention, and desire to Vsecure by Letters Patent, is- 1. The combination with a drying-chamber divided into a series of compartments with adjustable means ot' communication between each compartment means for passing a fluid IOO into the first compartment, an opening `for l the exhaust ot' the same from the last compartment of the series, and openings forming a passage for the fluid between adjacent compartments, of a series of open tanks adaptedl to be placed in and removed from. each compartment and devices for connecting and disconnecting the bottom of each tank when. in a compartment with one of the said commu-A nicating openings or with the exhaust-Opern ing substantially as described.

2. rlhe combination with a drying-chambery divided into a series ot compartments, adjustable means of communication between each compartment, a furnace of which theA ue forms a jacket to the chamber, a superheater placed in said furnace and connected with a source of steam and one end compartment of the chamber respectively and an ek- IIC hattet-opening in the other end compartment, of a series of open tanks and means to concompartment of the series and ya communica'- tion F F F2 between adjacent compartments and between one end compartmentand the atmosphere,of a series ofv open tanks each tank having a perforated false bottom -and means such asa flexible pipe for connecting the space thus formed with one of the aforesaid communications F F F2snbstan't'iallyas described.

4. The combination with a drying-chamber havin ga series of compartments,sliding doors between adjacent compartments, a fu rnace beneath one end ofl the chamber the flue of lspace thus formed in the bottom of each truck with one of the aforesaid.gcommunications -F F F2 substantially as described.

5. The combination with a dryngphamber v having a series of compartments, sliding doors between adjacent compartments, -a furnace i" beneathone end ot the chamber theilue of which forms the jacket to said chamber, a

superheaterfwithin said furnace communip eating respectively with a source of steam and with the/interior of one end compartment of the chamber, and a .communication F `F F? between adjacent compartments and between` theotherend compartment and the atmosphere and a series of open tanks, each tank havinga perforated false bottom, a exible pipe for connecting; the space t-hus formed in the bottom of each truck with one of the aforosaid communications F F F2 and a'Valve-conjtrolled ou tlet from. suchspace and :waive-controlled inlet-pi pe communicating respectively with a supply of impregnating material and with the end compartment with which the sulperheat'er is connected, substantially as described. i

lIn testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses A HUBERT HIGGINS.

Witnesses :l

WALTER J. SKERTEN, PATRICK C. ANDERSON. 

